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Must find someone to run against Chitwood!

I’ve got to say, Sheriff Chitwood spends so much time grandstanding, politicking and meddling in other people’s races that I can’t help but wonder if he does any actual police work. With all of his self-important endorsements, he obviously fancies himself to be a political king-maker. So how’s he doing in that regard, you ask? Well, consider how the following Chitwood-endorsed candidates fared in their races:

-Ronald Durham was trounced in his County Council race, getting just 33.2% of the vote
-John Upchurch for Congress: lost with just 23% of the vote
-Fred Costello for Congress: lost with just 27% of the vote
-Denise Grimsley for Florida Agriculture Commissioner: lost with just 26.6% of the vote
-While not officially endorsing, Chitwood openly campaigned against County Council incumbents Fred Lowry and Pat Patterson. Lowry handily won his race with a comfortable 14% margin and Patterson is in the November run-off.
-BTW, you can’t include the Circuit Court judgeship in Chitwood’s scorecard due to his bone-head move of not realizing that he had endorsed two candidates in the same race

Additionally, the last time anyone checked, Chitwood’s beloved Amendment 10 that would give him more authority and autonomy was polling at just 31 percent. Incidentally, Chitwood became so toxic after his infamous “fur-lined handcuffs” slur that Costello reportedly dismissed the endorsement and said he didn’t want it. And for those candidates who had the misfortune of accepting Chitwood’s support, it seemed to hurt them with the voters more than it helped. With such a dismal record, why would anyone consider Chitwood a political king-maker capable of delivering a deep well of loyal supporters? The answer is in the distorted, mistaken perception that Chitwood won his 2016 race for Sheriff in a landslide. True, he took the race in the primary atop a field of five candidates with just barely 50% of the vote. I’m not taking anything away from Chitwood’s win, as it was a stunning victory. But with a turn-out of just 26% of the registered voters and Chitwood getting half of that, it means he was swept into office by a whopping 13% of the electorate. Hardly a landslide or a mandate. And given the constant, embarrassing controversies that have enraged and turned off many, many people, including women, Republicans, fellow law enforcement officers, judges, elected officials who he is openly campaigning against and even his own deputies and former supporters, it seems that 13% base of support is shrinking by the day.

It’s about time that we find a good candidate to challenge Chitwood in the 2020 election and make him a one-termer before he completely destroys Volusia County. And we need to find someone who we can unite behind so that we don’t have a repeat of 2016 when the anti-Chitwood vote was splintered and diluted.

I’ve got to say, Sheriff Chitwood spends so much time grandstanding, politicking and meddling in other people’s races that I can’t help but wonder if he does any actual police work. With all of his self-important endorsements, he obviously fancies himself to be a political king-maker. So how’s he doing in that regard, you ask? Well, consider how the following Chitwood-endorsed candidates fared in their races:

-Ronald Durham was trounced in his County Council race, getting just 33.2% of the vote
-John Upchurch for Congress: lost with just 23% of the vote
-Fred Costello for Congress: lost with just 27% of the vote
-Denise Grimsley for Florida Agriculture Commissioner: lost with just 26.6% of the vote
-While not officially endorsing, Chitwood openly campaigned against County Council incumbents Fred Lowry and Pat Patterson. Lowry handily won his race with a comfortable 14% margin and Patterson is in the November run-off.
-BTW, you can’t include the Circuit Court judgeship in Chitwood’s scorecard due to his bone-head move of not realizing that he had endorsed two candidates in the same race

Additionally, the last time anyone checked, Chitwood’s beloved Amendment 10 that would give him more authority and autonomy was polling at just 31 percent. Incidentally, Chitwood became so toxic after his infamous “fur-lined handcuffs” slur that Costello reportedly dismissed the endorsement and said he didn’t want it. And for those candidates who had the misfortune of accepting Chitwood’s support, it seemed to hurt them with the voters more than it helped. With such a dismal record, why would anyone consider Chitwood a political king-maker capable of delivering a deep well of loyal supporters? The answer is in the distorted, mistaken perception that Chitwood won his 2016 race for Sheriff in a landslide. True, he took the race in the primary atop a field of five candidates with just barely 50% of the vote. I’m not taking anything away from Chitwood’s win, as it was a stunning victory. But with a turn-out of just 26% of the registered voters and Chitwood getting half of that, it means he was swept into office by a whopping 13% of the electorate. Hardly a landslide or a mandate. And given the constant, embarrassing controversies that have enraged and turned off many, many people, including women, Republicans, fellow law enforcement officers, judges, elected officials who he is openly campaigning against and even his own deputies and former supporters, it seems that 13% base of support is shrinking by the day.

It’s about time that we find a good candidate to challenge Chitwood in the 2020 election and make him a one-termer before he completely destroys Volusia County. And we need to find someone who we can unite behind so that we don’t have a repeat of 2016 when the anti-Chitwood vote was splintered and diluted.

Anyone have any thoughts on who would make a good candidate?

Great Post!!! Great research. Great facts. I am of the mindset that in 2020 it should be an "ABC" election...Anybody But Chitwood. Dave Brannon, Terry Sanders, Anybody.

Nobody with VCSO would be able to run unless they resigned if Chitwood runs. No ex VCSO would stand a chance either. The deputies wouldn’t get behind anyone publicly anyways. Too risky. Chitwood has that office for as long as he wants it.

Nobody with VCSO would be able to run unless they resigned if Chitwood runs. No ex VCSO would stand a chance either. The deputies wouldn’t get behind anyone publicly anyways. Too risky. Chitwood has that office for as long as he wants it.

I get your point but if they want change theyre all going to have to take that chance. Rally behind the one candidate and make damn sure every single deputy, friend and family member vote against Chitwood and get rid of him for good.

Better to be someone from outside VCSO. Doesn't even need to be a household name -- just a solid professional with good leadership skills, a good background, a good image and respected by the law enforcement community. Everyone looking to get rid of Chitwood will flock to him.